Written by Clay Riley – Along with plentiful game, natural resources and abundant farm and ranching lands in early Brown county, there was always the concern of protection of the early pioneering families. Because of this, with formation of the county in 1856, a Sheriff was one of the first offices filled.

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With the Sheriff and Deputy in place, basic law enforcement was available with settlers being deputized when needed. With U.S. Cavalry troops at Camp Colorado, there was some protection from Indian raids, but these troops had a wide area to cover with their patrols.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, the State of Texas could not provide troops to replace the U.S. Army troops that were surrendered at Camp Colorado. For this reason, the wartime Governor Francis R. Lubbock, exempted the frontier line of counties from military draft. By establishing local militias or state police units. These early counties essentially provided their own protection.

Throughout the Civil War, the Texas State legislature provided laws and appropriations to organize companies of men to provide frontier defense. These men were not part of the Confederate States Army (CSA), but served under the command and control of officers in the employ of the State of Texas “as needed”, until the end of the war in 1865. 

The Frontier Regiment consisted of units of rangers authorized by the Ninth Legislature of Texas on December 21, 1861, for the protection of the northern and western frontier of Texas. These regiments were in existence from mid-1861 until December 1863 when the group was mustered into the CSA. This act and the raising of the regiments was the state’s political and military response to the vulnerabilities posed to the state’s frontier settlements. By the planned withdrawal and redeployment of the Confederate First Regiment, Texas Mounted Riflemen from their frontier forts, a void was created for local protection.

With the loss of the Frontier Units in 1863, Brown county, the state enlisted residents for a local militia that was called into action when needed. Early records for these units detailed the name, age, county, unit officers and any fire arms issued along with periods of active duty served. These men were paid when on active patrol, but went about their farming and ranching when not needed. Below are three samples of these enlistments with the three Brown County Anderson brothers, David, Bill and Jim.

The official State records for these groups are often referred to as the Texas State Troops (TST).

These were the Captains for the Brown County Troops for the Civil War period;

Capt. A. K. McCain – 1861 – (Minute Men, Brown County, TST)

Capt. N. C. Duncan – 1864 – (Brown County, 2nd Frontier District, TST) 

Capt. D. H. Moseley – 1864 – (Brown County, 2nd Frontier District, TST) 

Capt. D. Skaggs – 1864 – (Brown County, 2nd Frontier District, TST) 

(Note) In later years, these troops were eligible for Confederate Pensions for their service. Several individuals or their widows received these pension payments.

When the State of Texas returned to the United States after the close of the Civil War, the US Army returned to the frontier area, and the local units were disbanded because of the strict Federal requirements. When Reconstruction ended and the state regained its control of its state policing units, these earlier regiments were reinstituted and became known by the more familiar, Texas Ranger Frontier Battalion. Indian raids were still a threat until the later part of the 1870s.

Many of the children of these earlier pioneer troops became Texas Rangers in later years. Children of Martha Anderson (Mrs. Bill Anderson) from a previous marriage, Ben and Lon Anderson, along with their cousin Bill Clements were a few of Brown County residents that became Texas Rangers in the 1870s and 1880s.

Sources; The Brownwood Bulletin, October 15, 1935 – Pioneer Edition, The Handbook of Texas, Frontier Times Magazines, Texas Ranger Hall of Fame E-Book™ is in the public domain.  

Photos – Brownwood Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Branch, Texas State Library.

This and many other stories are available at the Brownwood Public Library – Genealogy & Local History Branch at 213 S. Broadway.

Volunteers from the Pecan Valley Genealogical Society are there to assist you in your family history research.

Clay Riley is a local historian and retired Aerospace Engineer that has been involved in the Historical and Genealogical Community of Brown County for over 20 years. 

Should you have a comment, or a question that he may be able to answer in future columns, he can be reached at; [email protected].

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